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Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!

1990 – Directed by Pedro Almodóvar

I’m generally a huge Almodóvar fan, but I’ve long avoided this one because of hearing it was one of weaker efforts. However, after seeing a bunch of really dark and complex movies, I wanted to see something at least really dark and a little bit silly.

I was actually having a hard time figuring out if it was meant to be dramatic or funny or satirical or outrageous or sensual: it didn’t really hit any of these with great satisfaction, though there is one scene that managed to pull off some fairly decent soft core action. As an historical note, this apparently was the movie that inspired the ushering in of the NC-17 rating, though not the first to receive one. That distinction goes to the tedious Henry and June.

Overall it’s a bit too brisk and playful for anyone to believe that the Victoria Abril character has really succumbed to Stockholm syndrome, and as fine an actor as Antonio Banderas is (pre fame, very young though playing even younger), he come across as an injured puppy, which is still creepy but somehow diffuses any intensity there might be.

It ultimately comes across as a breezy bit of distraction: bondage for housewives. Not too different, I suppose, from buying 50 Shades of Grey accessories at Target. (Yes, that is a thing).

This would have been the Wednesday movie. Postings will be more regular from here on out.